Focusing on characters inspired by “ordinary people”, Laura Carreira’s films incisively expose the precarity of the day-to-day lives of the British working class. In this session dedicated to her work, we screen her two fictional short films, both inspired by real stories and with the texture of a documentary.

Laura Carreira began her film training in Portugal. At the age of 18, she moved to Scotland, where she studied at the Edinburgh College of Art and where she continues to live today. Her most recent short, The Shift (2020), focussing on the vulnerability of temporary work, was selected by the Venice film festival.

Carreira’s films display a close attention to detail that, in combination with her sensitive and thoughtful technical approach to photography and sound, allows us to really see the lives of her protagonists — lives that are so easily overlooked in our hurried day-to-day.

Screening followed by talk with Laura Carreira, moderated by Ana David. Programme notes by Marcos Cruz.